Which phase of the moon would there be a lunar eclipse?

Answer 1

At the time of the New Moon, an observer on the moon sees a Full Earth.

(But he has to be on the dark side of the moon to see it.)

Here's something to think about that strikes us as strangely beautiful in a way:

The earth-phase seen from the moon is exactly the part of the moon that's missing

as seen from earth.

In other words, if you take the earth phase seen from the moon, and add it on to

the moon phase seen from earth, they always add up to make exactly one full disk.

Answer 2

In the "new moon" phase, the Moon is almost (but not quite!) between the Earth and the Sun. You can't see it, for two reasons; first, the Moon and Sun will rise and set at about the same times, so the Moon is competing against the Sun's bright glare, and second, the illuminated side of the Moon is the FAR side; the near side of the Moon is dark.

When the Moon comes EXACTLY between the Earth and the Sun, then we have a solar eclipse. This happens about twice a year, when the crossing-point between the plane of the Moon's orbit and the ecliptic happens to line up with the Sun-Earth line. Sometimes the Moon doesn't QUITE line up on one orbit, and doesn't QUITE line up on the next; then we get two partial eclipses a month apart.

Answer 3

During a new moon phase, the moon is between the sun and the earth. It usually passes not directly between the two, but above or even below. If the moon passes directly in front of the sun at this time, a solar eclipse occurs.

Answer 4

the moon cycle goes like this 1st quarter, waxing cresent, new moon, waxing gibous, 3rd quater, waning gibous, full moon (opposite from new moon) waning cresent, then back to 1st quarter.

Answer 5

A lunar eclipse can occur only at the time of Full Moon.

Answer 6

As seen from the Moon, the Earth would be waxing to the full Earth phase.